Presentation 2

VETERANS
BENEFITS
ADMINISTRATION
OVERVIEW OF VBA BENEFITS
AN D S E RV I C E S
July 2014
Controlled Unclassified Information
VBA’s mission and vision drive its service to Veterans,
Servicemembers, Family Members and Survivors
VA Mission Statement
“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan”
– Abraham Lincoln
VBA Mission Statement
The mission of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), in partnership with the
Veterans Health Administration and the National Cemetery Administration, is to provide
benefits and services to Veterans and their families in a responsive, timely, and
compassionate manner in recognition of their service to the Nation.
VBA Vision Statement
Our vision is that the Veterans whom we serve will feel that our Nation has kept its
commitment to them; employees will feel that they are both recognized for their
contribution and are part of something larger than themselves; and taxpayers will feel that
we’ve met the responsibilities they’ve entrusted to us. Courage, honesty, trust, respect,
open communication, and accountability will be reflected in our day-to-day behavior.
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All VBA’s work is grounded in VA’s core
values: ICARE
Because I CARE, I will…
Integrity
Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain
the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.
Commitment
Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest
belief in VA’s mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational
responsibilities.
Advocacy
Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing
the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries.
Respect
Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect
to earn it.
Excellence
Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and
decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and
rigorous in correcting them.
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VBA Organizational Structure
Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations
Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations
Operations Center
Eastern Area
Southern Area
Central Area
Records Mgmt. Center
Western Area
Appeals Mgmt. Center
Operations Analysis
Operations Mgmt.
Office of Field Operations (OFO) oversees delivery of
benefits and services through 56 regional offices of
varying sizes and other entities, including:
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4 Area Offices
Appeals Management Center & Records Management Center
8 Regional Loan Centers
6 Fiduciary Hubs
4 Education Regional Processing Offices
1 Education Call Center
3 Pension Management Centers & 1 Pension Call Center
10 National Call Centers
1 Insurance Center & Insurance Call Center
Operations Center, which implements our Transformation Plan
Operations Analysis, which conducts STAT reviews and other
analysis projects
Operations Management, which oversees daily field station
operations, including performance and workload management
and resource allocation
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managed and distributed by VA
Regional Offices throughout the United
States
Togus
Manchester
Seattle
Anchorage
White River Jct.
Ft. Harrison
Fargo
Portland
St.
Paul
Boise
Boston
Milwaukee
Sioux Falls
Cheyenne
Des Moines
Lincoln
Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
Salt Lake
City
Oakland
New York
Newark
Philadelphia
Wilmington
Baltimore
Cleveland
Chicago
Reno
Manila
Providence
Hartford
Buffalo
Detroit
Denver
Huntington
St. Louis
Wichita
DC
Roanoke
Louisville
Los Angeles
Winston Salem
Nashville
Albuquerque
San Diego
Muskogee
Phoenix
Little
Rock
Columbia
Atlanta
Montgomery
Honolulu
Waco
Regional Office (RO)
RO and Education Regional Processing Office (RPO)
RO and Regional Loan Center (RLC)
RO, RPO & RLC
RO, PMC, and RLC
RO, PMC and Insurance Center
Appeals Management Center
RO and Fiduciary Hub
RO, Fiduciary Hub, and PMC
Jackson
New Orleans
Houston
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Eastern Area
Southern Area
Central Area
Western Area
San Juan
St. Petersburg
Did you Know?
51% of VBA employees are Veterans
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VBA Organizational Structure
Deputy Under Secretary for Disability Assistance
Compensation
• Compensation: Oversees disability compensation paid
to Veterans disabled by an injury or disease incurred or
aggravated during military service
Pension & Fiduciary
• Pension and Fiduciary: Administers pensions for
wartime Veterans and their survivors, dependency and
indemnity compensation for survivors of Veterans who
die from service connected disabilities, burial benefits,
and fiduciary program
Insurance
Benefits Assistance
Service
• Insurance: Maintains life insurance programs that give
financial security and peace of mind for Servicemembers,
Veterans, and their families (SGLI, VGLI, TSGLI, etc.)
• Benefits Assistance Service: Responsible for the
touch points Servicemembers, Veterans, their families
and other stakeholders use to interface with VBA,
including outreach, partnerships, Web communications,
social media, and telephone quality and training
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Disability Compensation
What is it?
Service-connected disability compensation is a tax-free
benefit paid to Veterans for a disability that arose during
service, was worsened or aggravated by service, or is
presumed by VA to relate to military service.
Who Qualifies?
A typical beneficiary for disability compensation is a Veteran
who became injured physically during service or has
psychological issues related to service.
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Eligibility for Disability
Compensation
General Eligibility Requirements
• The disability is related to an injury or event
experienced while on active duty
• The Veteran or Servicemember received an
other than dishonorable discharge
Examples of Injuries Incurred in or Aggravated while
on active duty:
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•
•
•
•
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Fractured wrist
Migraine headaches
Chondromalacia, left knee
Tinnitus
Post traumatic stress
disorder
PRESUMPTIVE DISABILITY BENEFITS
VA presumes that some disabilities are a
result of military service. A
Servicemember or Veteran may be
eligible to receive disability benefits if he
or she has a qualifying disability related
to certain conditions of service such as
exposure to Agent Orange or radiation,
or being a former prisoner of war.
Insurance
Insurance:
•
VA’s Insurance program provides Servicemembers and families with life insurance protection
without underwriting, and provides Servicemembers with traumatic injury protection
•
Uniformed Services and Post-Vietnam Veterans:
– Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI): Low-cost term life insurance
– Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI): Insures spouses and dependent
children of Servicemembers who have SGLI coverage
– Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI): Automatic
feature of SGLI that provides payment to Servicemembers who suffer certain losses due to
traumatic injuries that occur in service
– Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI): Allows separating Servicemembers to convert their
SGLI to lifetime renewable term insurance
•
Disabled Veterans Insurance Programs: (open to new issues)
– Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (S-DVI): Life insurance for Veterans who received a VA
rating for a new service-connected disability in the last two years
– Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI): Provides mortgage life insurance to disabled
Veterans approved for a VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant
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Insurance
Insurance:
•
WWI, WWII and Korean Era Insurance Programs: These programs no longer issue new coverage,
but active policies continue
– United States Government Life Insurance (USGLI) – Provides coverage to Veterans who
served during World War I era; policies were issued until April 1951
– National Service Life Insurance (NSLI) – Provides coverage to Veterans who served during
World War II; policies were issued from 1940 until April 1951
– Veterans’ Special Life Insurance (VSLI) – Provides coverage to Veterans who served during
Korean Conflict and post-Korean period; policies were issued from 1951 through
December 1956
– Veterans’ Reopened Insurance (VRI) - Provides coverage for disabled Veterans who had
been eligible to obtain insurance between October of 1940 and January 1957; policies
were issued from May 1965 to May 1966
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VBA Organizational Structure
Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity
Employment
Education
•
Education: Administers VA's education programs
that provide education and training benefits to eligible
Servicemembers, Veterans, and dependents
•
Home Loan Guaranty: Provides oversight of the VA
Home Loan Program which ensures Veterans can
obtain, retain, and adapt their home by guaranteeing
their loan against foreclosure
•
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E):
Oversees programs that provide employment and
independent living services including career
vocational counseling, job search assistance, and
post-secondary training for service-disabled Veterans
Home Loan Guaranty
Vocational
Rehabilitation &
Employment
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Education
Education:
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VA Education benefits advance the education and skills of Veterans, Servicemembers, family
members and survivors according to the following eligibility standards:
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Post-9/11 GI Bill – At least 90 days aggregate active duty service after 9/10/2001, and either still on active
duty, honorably discharged, or discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days
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Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty – Active Duty enrollees pay $100/month for 12 months and then are
entitled to receive monthly EDU benefits after completing a minimum service obligation
•
Montgomery GI Bill Select Reserve – For Reservists with a six-year obligation in the Selected Reserve who
are actively drilling
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Reserve Educational Assistance Program* – For Reservists activated at least 90 days after 9/11/2001
•
Veterans Educational Assistance Program – For Veterans who entered service between 1/1/77 and
6/30/85, contributed between $25 and $2,700 and with a discharge given under conditions other than
dishonorable
•
Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program – Available to eligible dependents of
Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related conditions, and of Veterans who
died while on active duty or as the result of a service-related condition
•
Veterans Retraining Assistance Program – Up to 12 months of training at a community college or
technical school in a high-demand occupation field for unemployed Veterans between ages 35 and 60 with
other than a dishonorable discharge, not eligible for other EDU benefits, not receiving unemployability
compensation, and not enrolled in fed/state job training programs (ends on 3/31/14)
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Understanding the Post-9/11
GI Bill
Up to 36 months of benefits;
payable for approved training.
Eligibility: At least 90 days of aggregate
service after September 10, 2001, or for
individuals discharged with a serviceconnected disability after 30 days. An
Honorable discharge is required to be
eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Determined by the length of
active duty service (40% up to
100% per length of active duty
service).
Expires 15 years after last
qualifying period of active duty
service.
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Understanding the Yellow Ribbon Program
• Institutions voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund
tuition and fee costs that exceed the tuition and fees cap of
$19,198.31 at non-public schools, and out-of-state charges.
• VA matches each additional dollar that an institution contributes,
up to total cost of tuition and fees.
• Payable to school when student’s tuition and fees exceed the cap:
Based on school
participation
Veterans only at
100% benefit
level
Based on
student
qualification
Spouse of
Veteran (transfer
of entitlement)
Dependent
children (transfer
of entitlement)
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Home Loan Guaranty
Home Loan Guaranty:
•
VA’s Home Loan Guaranty program helps Servicemembers, Veterans and their families
obtain, retain, and adapt a home
•
Benefits of VA home loans:
– Purchase a home (existing or pre-construction) as a primary residence
– Refinance an existing home loan
– Typically no downpayment or mortgage insurance
– Reusable benefit
– VA limits certain closing costs a Veteran may pay
– Loans may be assumed by qualified borrower
– VA staff dedicated to assisting Veterans who become delinquent on their loan
•
VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program also:
– Provides Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants for severely disabled
Veterans
– Issues direct loans to Native American Veterans living on Federal Trust land
– Helps borrowers in default avoid foreclosure
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Home Loan Guaranty
•
VA-Guaranteed Home Loans are made by private lenders such as:
– Banks
– Credit Unions
– Mortgage Companies
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These loans are made to eligible Veterans for the purchase of a home for their
personal occupancy.
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VA guarantees a portion of the loan to protect the lender against loss if the
payments are not made.
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The guaranty backing serves to eliminate the need for a downpayment.
What the Benefit Can Be Used For
A VA-Guaranteed Home Loan can be used for any of the following:
• To buy a home, condominium, or townhouse.
• To build a home.
• To improve a home by installing energy efficient features as approved
by lender and VA.
• To refinance an existing home loan.
Program Eligibility
• Eligibility for using the VA-Guaranteed Home Loan program is based
on the individual’s service.
• Generally, the following people are eligible:
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Veterans who meet length of service requirements.
Servicemembers on active duty who have served a minimum period.
Certain Reservists and National Guard members.
Certain surviving spouses of deceased Veterans.
• You can learn more about eligibility at:
www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/purchaseco_eligibility.asp.
Competitive Terms
• The VA-Guaranteed Home Loan
program gives Veterans access to
advantageous loan terms:
– Competitive interest rates
– Competitive monthly payments
– Competitive closing costs
• To qualify for a VA-Guaranteed
Home Loan, individuals must:
– Have satisfactory credit
– Have sufficient income to support
loan payments
– Live in the property
No Downpayment Option
• To many the VA-Guaranteed Home Loan
program’s main advantage is its NO
DOWNPAYMENT OPTION.
• VA is the largest lending program offering
guaranty on zero-down payment loans.
89%
Percentage of VA
home loans made in
fiscal year 2013 made
with zero
downpayment.
Vocational Rehabilitation &
Employment
What is the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR&E) Program?
•The VR&E program assists Veterans with service-connected
disabilities to prepare for, obtain, and maintain suitable employment.
Eligibility Requirements:
•Honorably discharged;
•Have a service-connected disability rated 10 percent with a serious
employment handicap or 20 percent or more with an employment
handicap; and
•File an application for VR&E services.
What happens after eligibility is established?
•Eligible Veterans meet with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
(VRC) for evaluation to determine entitled to services.
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In-Depth Benefit Review:
Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment:
•
VA’s VR&E (Chapter 31) program helps Servicemembers and Veterans with service connected
disabilities prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs through counseling and case management
provided by nearly 1,000 rehabilitation counselors across the country
•
For Veterans with a discharge given under conditions other than dishonorable with at least a 20%
disability rating and an employment handicap, or a 10% rating with a serious employment
handicap. VR&E provides:
– Interest and aptitude testing, and career counseling
– Job training, job-seeking skills, resume development, and work-readiness assistance
– Special employer incentives, on-the-job-training, and non-paid work experiences
– Post-secondary training at a college, vocational, technical or business school
– Independent living services
•
Servicemembers with disabilities participating in the Integrated Disability Evaluation
System (IDES) are able to participate without a VA service-connected disability rating
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In-Depth Benefit Review:
Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment:
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VR&E also operates VA’s VetSuccess on Campus program at 94 college campuses across the
country; VSOC counselors provide outreach, benefits assistance, professional counseling, and
referrals for health care and other VA services
•
VA’s Chapter 36 - Education and Career Counseling program provides personalized counseling and support to
Servicemembers and Veterans
–
•
Transitioning Servicemembers within six months prior to discharge from active duty, Veterans within one
year following discharge, and any Veteran currently eligible for a VA education benefit are eligible for
Chapter 36 benefits
Chapter 36 services to beneficiaries include:
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Career Choice – Increasing understanding about the best career options based on interests and
capabilities
–
Benefits Coaching – Providing guidance on the effective use of VA benefits and/or other resources to
achieve education and career goals
–
Personalized Support – Giving academic or adjustment counseling and personalized support to help
remove any barriers to success
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In-Depth Benefit Review:
Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment:
Program Highlights:
VR&E also offers a number of employer
incentive programs, such as:
•
On-the-job training: Employers pay
Veterans at an apprentice’s wage and VA
supplements that salary until the Veteran
reaches the journeyman level
•
Special Employer Incentives: VA
reimburses employers for up to 50% of a
Veteran’s salary for up to 6 months
•
Nonpaid Work Experience: VA provides
Veterans with work-related experience in
local, state or federal government
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Website Overview: History
– eBenefits
(www.ebenefits.va.gov) is a joint
VA/DoD Web portal that
provides self-service capabilities
to Veterans, Service members,
their families and caregivers.
– Development of eBenefits was
initiated in March of 2007 at the
recommendation of the
President’s Commission on Care
for America’s Returning
Wounded Warriors
(Dole/Shalala).
– With quarterly releases,
eBenefits continues to evolve as
a “one-stop shop” for Veterans,
Service members and their
families.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs /
Department of Defense
Reasons to File Electronically and have
an eBenefits Account
• Claims submitted online may be processed faster, helping VA meet the 125 day at
98% accuracy goal by 2015.
• Veterans filing for disability benefits can initiate their claim online and preserve
their date of claim. Veterans have up to 365 days to fully complete their claim,
upload any supporting documentation and submit directly to VA.
• Request and receive Official Military Personnel File including DD Form-214 within
hours.
• Search for state and county benefit programs for Veterans.
• The Career Center enables Veterans to apply for federal and civilian jobs, build a
resume and translate military skills to civilian jobs.
• Request representation and assistance from a Veterans Service Organization .
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs /
Department of Defense
Website Overview : Website Statistics
•eBenefits Statistics are captured as of August 2014 are as following:
 Registered eBenefits users: Over 4 million
 Claims status views: Over 39.2 Million since release date of April 2010
 Home Loan COE: 573 K since release date of April 2010
 OMPF (DD 214): 612 K since release date of December 2009
 Letter Generator: 5.1 Million since release date of January 2011
 Website visits: In August alone 3.96 Million visits
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs /
Department of Defense
eBenefits Home Page
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VA Letters available 24/7
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VBA’s eClaims and FDC Programs Overview
Applicants simply submit all required and
relevant documentation at the same time
to get a faster VA claim decision.
Filing an electronic claim, or eClaim, on
eBenefits reduces claim paperwork and
helps reduce the backlog.
Filing an electronic FDC through eBenefits allows
Veterans to receive even faster decisions on their
disability compensation claims.
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Fully Developed Claims (FDC) Program
The Fully Developed Claims (FDC) Program was created as
part of VA’s larger transformation initiative to help Veterans
and their families receive the fastest decisions on their
compensation, pension and surviving dependent benefit
claims.
Through the FDC Program, applicants simply submit all
relevant and required records in their possession at the
time they make their claim and certify that they have no
more evidence to submit. This allows VA to review and
provide decisions on claims more quickly.
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Who can file an FDC?
Veterans may file an FDC for disability compensation for:
• An injury, disability or condition believed to have
occurred or been aggravated by military service
• A condition caused or aggravated by an existing
service-related condition
Veterans filing an FDC for disability compensation can file
their claim online through eBenefits.
Veterans and surviving dependents may also file paper FDCs
for Pension or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
(DIC).
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Why file an electronic FDC?
•
•
•
•
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Gets Veterans even faster VA decisions on their disability
compensation claims
Puts the Veteran in control of their claim by providing all
evidence at once and certifying they have no more
evidence to submit
Allows Veterans to take advantage of a shortened and
simplified web-based application form
Veterans have one year after they initiate their claim on
eBenefits to gather, upload, and submit all documents,
and may be paid back to the date their claim was started
eBenefits & eClaims
eBenefits is a joint VA and
Department of Defense (DoD)
web portal that provides
Veterans, Servicemembers,
survivors and their family
members access to over 55 selfservice features and VA and DoD
benefits information.
Veterans must have a Premium,
Level 2 eBenefits account in
order to file a claim electronically
through eBenefits.
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To view a step-by-step video on
How to Get a DS Logon for
eBenefits, visit:
youtu.be/QojXqc_TwUk
Overview of Applying Online
There are 9 Basic Steps to file
an FDC through eBenefits:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A step-by-step video on how to
file an FDC for disability
compensation through eBenefits
can be found at:
youtu.be/RSzX029_ohA.
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7.
8.
9.
Log into eBenefits
Enter Personal Information
Choose a VSO
Tell VA about Service
Information
Choose your type of claim
Enter Treatment and Direct
Deposit Information
Review Special Circumstances
Upload Documents
Perform Final Review and
Submit the Application
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DBQ Instructions
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Questions?
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